Team USA Loses to Canada On Post-Whistle Goal

Coaches will always tell you to play to the whistle. Based on today’s Canada/USA women’s hockey game, you should also continue playing after it.

The Canadians scored their go-ahead goal after referee Anna Eskola of Finland had blown the whistle, signaling the play dead. Take a look:

Location of the puck when the whistle blew (via @WorldOfIsaac)

The whistle clearly blew before the puck crossed the line. The referee decided to go upstairs for video review, despite the fact that blowing the whistle is not a reviewable play. Per IIHF Rule Book. Section 3.4:

No video review can be requested by Referee on the following situations:

a. Whether or not puck entered net before or after whistle

The media immediately took to Twitter:

Did Wickenheiser hear the whistle on her goal? "Only after it crossed the line," she said with a big smile.

This wasn’t referee Anna Eskola’s only problem in officiating in the game. She missed multiple instances of Team Canada skating with too many men on the ice. Twice they had seven skaters out there. Canda finally got caught with less than a minute to play, but by then it was too late for Team USA to take advantage.